Although striking, not all full moons are the same. Due to the elliptical nature of the Moon's orbit around the Earth, it gets closer to us at times than at other times. Super moons occur at this time. Can we see them soon?
There are some expectations regarding supermoons as astronomy is becoming more and more popular and people are especially curious about the visuals left behind by bright full moons. The Moon's orbit, like all orbits followed by stars in our Solar System, is elliptical, so there is a simple physical explanation for this phenomenon. As a result, our satellite is not always at the same distance.
For example, in perigee and apogee, the distance between Earth and Moon can be between 356.000 and 406.000 kilometers. To be a supermoon, our satellite must be at least 90% of its distance from perigee. This means that between full moons, its apparent size can fluctuate by up to 14% and its brightness by more than 30%. Although theoretically there shouldn't be much of a difference, if we are careful and make a clear comparison, we can observe that there is a difference.
In 2023, there will be four Super Moons, all on the following dates: July 3, August 1, August 28, and September 29. Looking at the night sky, especially where there is no light pollution, will be enough to observe our natural satellite in all its glory. These full moons will be by far the biggest and brightest full moons of the year and will also slightly influence the tides.
As is known, the gravitational force of the Moon and Sun on our planet is a factor in the tides. During the full moon and new moon phases, especially the Supermoon, larger tides are experienced due to the relative positions of the two objects and their proximity to each other.
What is the astronomer's greatest fear?
Super Moons are amazing and beautiful, but not everyone likes them. If we are not very careful, we will have a hard time distinguishing them from normal full moons. The Moon dominates our night sky and is the second brightest object visible from our planet after the Sun. In fact, when it rises above the horizon, it illuminates our sky so much that it obscures stars and the faintest objects, preventing us from seeing them.
Whether professional or amateur, it is difficult to make any astronomical observations when the Moon is full, especially when it is a Super Moon, due to the natural light pollution it creates.
The natural light pollution produced by the full moon cannot be compared to the permanent light pollution produced in cities.
The beauty of the night sky has diminished to resemble that of a small city downtown. Yet this is a natural, worldwide and occasional event, not the local and ongoing effect of artificial light pollution in a metropolis. In the second scenario, the repercussions on astronomy and the environment are very heavy.
Source: yourweather.co.uk/news
Günceleme: 13/03/2023 21:49